FIGHT! Magazine - Archives » February 2008http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine
Just another WordPress siteThu, 07 Nov 2013 21:36:48 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1Did You Know?http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12912-223/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12912-223/#commentsFri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000adminhttp://www.fightmagazine.comNATURAL STUNTMAN According to the Internet Movie Database, Randy “The Natural” Couture first broke into show business in 1997, when he appeared as a stuntman in the HBO prison series Oz. 181-43-9 The record of mixed martial arts warhorse Travis “The Iron Man” Fulton, who has fought an incredible 233 times since he first [...]

According to the Internet Movie Database, Randy “The Natural” Couture first broke into show business in 1997, when he appeared as a stuntman in the HBO prison series Oz.

181-43-9

The record of mixed martial arts warhorse Travis “The Iron Man” Fulton, who has fought an incredible 233 times since he first started fighting in 1996.

4-6 ounces

The weight that gloves used by fighters in the UFC must be, in order to be approved for use by the Nevada state athletic commission.

BATTLE OF THE OLYMPIANS:

On December 31, 2004, Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner (wrestling) defeated fellow Olympic gold medal winner Hidehiko Yoshida (Judo) by decision at PRIDE Shockwave. This is the only time two Olympic gold medalists have competed against each other in MMA.

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12912-223/feed/05 Minutes With Rashad Evanshttp://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12936-225/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12936-225/#commentsFri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000adminhttp://www.fightmagazine.comWhat’s goin’ on with you? What’s it look like for your next fight? Have they told you anything? Naw, they haven’t told me nothing, but I haven’t stopped training yet. I just kept training after my last fight. I just got back from Montreal, helping out Georges [St. Pierre] at his base camp. Where [...]

]]>What’s goin’ on with you? What’s it look like for your next fight? Have they told you anything?

Naw, they haven’t told me nothing, but I haven’t stopped training yet. I just kept training after my last fight. I just got back from Montreal, helping out Georges [St. Pierre] at his base camp.

Where would you rank yourself among the light heavyweights in the world?

Definitely within the top five. I’m undefeated. I fought some tough guys and I’ve won. But really I see myself as number one, I just gotta go out there and prove it, ya know. Go out there and get that belt.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

The worst job was being a security guard at this little hole in the wall. I had to ride the buses and everything, the metro. I had to work at this bus station and break up fights, and kids had guns and knives and shit like that. It was horrible man!

Okay, what’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice is…ah…somebody told me Bill Cosby said he doesn’t know the key to success but he knows the key to failure, and it’s trying to please everybody.

Now what’s this rumor I hear about you and Greg Jackson singing disco tunes and stuff on the road?

Aww man, me and Greg have a good time when we’re together. Greg’s favorite song is one by Michael McDonald. Funny shit. We jam to everything.

Well that’s a perfect lead-in to one of the FIGHT! famous two questions. First, what’s a song you jam out to when you are by yourself that no man should ever be listening to? That you would be embarrassed about if someone found out you were listening to the song?

[laughing and semi-stuttering] Uh, it’s uh, a song by George Michael. Man… can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s Kissing a Fool.

And finally, Jessica Simpson, Jessica Alba, or Jessica Beal?

I gotta go with Jessica Biel, she’s got that booty! (For those scoring at home, that’s two votes Biel, one vote Alba)

Thanks for your time Rashad…and yes, she does have that booty, doesn’t she?

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12936-225/feed/0Occupational Hazardshttp://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13056-235/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13056-235/#commentsFri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000Terry E. Bushhttp://www.fightmagazine.comIt only takes a quick glance at the photos of former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman and the two gaping holes on the right side of his body to understand the devastating effects of staph infection. “It looked like someone had taken a shotgun and shot me up close,” says Randleman. After dismissing his symptoms [...]

]]>It only takes a quick glance at the photos of former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman and the two gaping holes on the right side of his body to understand the devastating effects of staph infection.

“It looked like someone had taken a shotgun and shot me up close,” says Randleman. After dismissing his symptoms for five weeks, he was admitted to the hospital in septic condition. Doctors were forced to remove portions of Randleman’s lateral and pectoral muscles in an attempt to eradicate the staph bacteria from his body. More than anything, Randleman wants to increase awareness about staph, and have people learn from his experience.

So what do people need to know about staph? Staphylococcus aureus, also known as staph, has always been one of the common occupational hazards among participants in contact sports. While most cases of staph are still associated with hospitals and health care facilities, the emergence of staph within schools and communities has become an increasing concern.

Staph bacteria are normally present in healthy people. While 25% to 30% of the population has staph bacteria present in the nose without causing any type of infection, staph can cause minor infections, such as pimples and boils, which can be treated without antibiotics. In more severe cases, staph can cause surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia.

Erhardt Bell, a clinical microbiologist and president of PetLabs Diagnostic Laboratories, Inc., explains that a normal healthy amount of bacteria naturally blocks out some of the bad bacteria in our bodies. However, he warns that people, “can’t be bugophobes – you need to have them on you and with you, but if in the wrong amounts or the wrong places, [bacteria] will cause serious problems.”

Says Bell, “The largest organ on your body is your skin. Microorganisms work on a very simple basis. They are looking for a place to live and nothing more, somewhere that is warm, moist, and dark. If you have a break in your skin, that is all they need to get in. If skin is intact, they can knock on the door all they want, but they can’t get in

and nothing’s going to happen.”

The sweaty environment athletes typically train in can serve as a double-edged sword.

Sweat does have some scientifically proven antibacterial properties, but it also serves as the perfect vehicle for moving pathogens around to other parts of the body.

While MMA fighters are naturally exposed to the skin-to-skin opportunities that bacteria seek out, the best offense is a good defense. Good personal hygiene and awareness are the best ways to prevent staph and other skin infections. Washing hands often with antibacterial soap and warm water, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, keeping cuts, scrapes and other open wounds covered until they are healed, avoiding contact with other people’s wounds or bandages, and avoiding sharing personal items such as towels and razors will make a huge difference.

Since bacteria prefer moist places, such as the folds of the elbow, knee, groin area, and underarm, fighters should shower immediately after practice and put on clean, dry clothing. “If a wrestler or fighter chooses to wait until they get home to take a shower, they are serving as an incubator for the bacteria.” explains Bell. Workout clothing and gear should be washed and sanitized as soon as possible after each practice.

In the rare but serious instances when methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA (a type of staph resistant to antibiotic treatment) occurs, treatment may include drainage and irrigation of the infected site to reduce the number of bacteria present, vitamin and antibiotic treatment, and ongoing preventive measures of good personal hygiene. Paying attention to your body’s natural warning signals is another critical way to prevent the spread of possible infections. If the body produces redness, swelling, discharge, pus, or ongoing pain, the area should be checked immediately.

When five-time UFC champion Pat Miletich’s gym was hit with staph earlier this year, Miletich said,” We obviously had no choice but to quarantine everybody who had it. We asked all the fighters to get nasal swabs, to be tested and get cultures done, and made sure everything in the building was disinfected.”

At Miletich Fighting Systems, says Miletich, “we have people inspect themselves and their workout partners and keep the facility clean. We keep an eye out for it.” Only eight of approximately fifty fighters were treated for staph at MFS. Treatment included two weeks of antibiotics, and being quarantined from training until they were cleared by an infectious disease specialist. The clearing procedure followed by anyone at MFS who is suspected of having a possible skin infection.

Miletich adds, “What was interesting is that I have hundreds of students who are grappling and kickboxing that don’t train with my fighters, but train in the same area and use the same equipment my fighters use. None of my students got it, which leads me to believe that generally it’s skin-to-skin contact.”

Skin infections such as staph, impetigo, herpes, ringworm, and scabies are nothing new for those who participate in contact sports. But for MMA fi ghters like Kevin Randleman, who considers staph, “the biggest, baddest voodoo daddy out there,” it can be as serious as an unreleased rearnaked choke. The good news is staph, whether in the gym, hospital, or community, is largely preventable and treatable when caught early.

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13056-235/feed/0How DUMB Do You Have to Be?http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13044-234/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13044-234/#commentsFri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000James Hirthhttp://www.fightmagazine.comGone are the stereotypes that fighters fight because “that’s all they know,” or because they have reached their proverbial limits coping with structured society. These are intelligent men and women, who have not been sentenced to a life of struggle inside a cage or ring; they have chosen to dedicate their lives to the most [...]

]]>Gone are the stereotypes that fighters fight because “that’s all they know,” or because they have reached their proverbial limits coping with structured society. These are intelligent men and women, who have not been sentenced to a life of struggle inside a cage or ring; they have chosen to dedicate their lives to the most grueling of all professional combat sports, mixed martial arts. Check out the educational backgrounds of some of the premiere athletes competing in MMA. You’ll have a new-found appreciation for just how smart that guy pounding his opponent in to the cage is.

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13044-234/feed/0They Said That?!http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12924-224/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12924-224/#commentsFri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000adminhttp://www.fightmagazine.comTOP GUN “Just because we do it better than everyone else does, doesn’t make (us) a monopoly” – Dana White when asked if he thought the UFC was an MMA monopoly. COLD WAR “Me, Randy and MMA fans all over the world want to see it. The only obstacle is Dana.” - Fedor Emelianenko [...]

“Just because we do it better than everyone else does, doesn’t make (us) a monopoly”

– Dana White when asked if he thought the UFC was an MMA monopoly.

COLD WAR

“Me, Randy and MMA fans all over the world want to see it. The only obstacle is Dana.”

- Fedor Emelianenko on possibly fighting Randy Couture. Through an interpreter as quoted by MMAWeekly

MONKEY STYLE

“He’s like a crazed chimpanzee.”

- Frank Mir on Urijah Faber’s Fighting Style

FARM TRAINED

“I went down to Hughes’s camp and focused 100 percent on fighting instead of milking cows.”

- Tommy Speer on training for the TUF finale.

NO EXCUSES

“Nobody wants to hear anything after the fight. ‘Oh yeah, but I was injured.’ Nobody wants to hear that crap.”

– Matt Serra on pulling out of his fight with Matt Hughes

BOOTY IN THE PANTS

“If he was a girl you’d say he had a badonkadonk”

- Joe Rogan on Tyson Griffin’s posterior

WHO NEEDS RULES?

“I haven’t forced them to compete in MMA, because the rules today don’t favor the fighter with better technique… when you got five minutes, gloves, and quick stand-ups, the more explosive fighter, who is very aggressive and on the juice or whatever is going to go crazy for five minutes and win the round. When he’s sweaty strong you can’t do much too him in that short time…it’s not real. All the rules hinder the analysis of who is the better fighter, so I don’t recommend the boys get into MMA.”

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12924-224/feed/0Don’t F&*K With The DIAZ BROTHERShttp://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12948-226/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12948-226/#commentsThu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000Matthew Rosshttp://www.fightmagazine.com“These fighters are scary in a way that boxers and kick-boxers aren’t. They are savage…Whoever wins the fight, the unspoken signifier of victory is, I could have killed you. There are no excuses in the rules. If we were alone, in some back alley or on a deserted island, and we fought without all these [...]

]]>“These fighters are scary in a way that boxers and kick-boxers aren’t. They are savage…Whoever wins the fight, the unspoken signifier of victory is, I could have killed you. There are no excuses in the rules. If we were alone, in some back alley or on a deserted island, and we fought without all these people watching, then I could have killed you.” –Sam Sheridan, A Fighter’s Heart

Stockton, a small city in California’s San Joaquin Valley, is best known for its perpetually high crime rate (#2 nationally in auto thefts per capita as of 2005) and its ignominious distinction as the capital of the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007. There have been more foreclosures here than anywhere else in the country, and as I drive through the outskirts of town I notice a depressingly large number of “for sale” signs. The down and out quality of the place reminds me that Stockton was the setting for one of the greatest, grimmest boxing movies ever made: 1972’s Fat City. Poor cities breed fighters, and this place most definitely fits the bill.

Stockton also happens to be the city the fighting Diaz brothers, Nick and Nate, call home. Nick, 24, is by far the more accomplished fighter. During his tumultuous six years as a professional, Diaz has distinguished himself as much for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his lethal striking ability as he has for his reputation as an unpredictable rage machine incapable of drawing the line between athletic competition and all-out mortal combat. He’s floated in and out of various organizations (including two stints in the UFC), and while he’s taken out some of MMA’s most fearsome warriors, mainstream stardom and a major championship have continued to elude him, thanks to a series of controversial losses as well as a penchant for bad behavior. But while Nick’s outrageous behavior hasn’t endeared him to sponsors or promotional companies, his performances inside the ring, coupled with a slew of infamous acts outside it, have made him something of a legend among hardcore fight fans.

The 22-year-old Nate may not boast the same giant-killing résumé as his older brother and mentor, but he may be better known to the casual fan. Earlier this year, Nate appeared on The Ultimate Fighter reality series, eventually winning the show’s lightweight championship against the talented Manny Gamburyan (who submitted in the second round after injuring his shoulder). Like Nick, Nate is a BJJ prodigy who likes to bang. But so far, the up-and-coming lightweight has done his talking in the ring, not out of it.

The Diaz boys live with their mother, Melissa, in a modest two-story house on the outskirts of town. I arrive at their place on a chilly November afternoon, and Nick answers the door. The first thing I notice about Nick are his brows, or to be more specific, the scar tissue that covers them. Diaz suffers from a double whammy of bad genetics for a professional fighter: prominent bone structure and skin that cuts easily.

Those unfortunate facts of his physiology explain why, on this particular day, he isn’t in the best of spirits. Two weeks earlier, Nick suffered perhaps the most frustrating loss of his career, when the ring doctor stopped his televised live bout on Showtime against KJ Noons for the EliteXC 160 lb. championship during the first round. Noons, a camera-ready former pro boxer that EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw has been pushing heavily as a future star, opened up a pair of nasty cuts over both of Nick’s eyes, leaving the ring doctor with little choice but to stop the fight.

Upon hearing the doctor’s verdict, Nick promptly stormed out of the ring with both middle fingers raised high in the air, while Noons jumped around as if he had just won the lottery. I asked Nick about the fight, and he responds quickly and emphatically, “That guy was a munchkin. He thinks he’s a pro boxer, fuck it, I’ll fight him in straight boxing, I don’t care. He’s nothing special.” To prevent this type of stoppage from occurring again, Nick will be going under the knife to remove scar tissue and shave down the bones over his eyes in an effort to reduce his chances of getting cut.

It wasn’t the first time Nick was on the wrong end of a frustrating loss. His current professional record stands at 15-7, but those numbers are deceiving. With the exception of an early knockout loss to Jeremy Jackson (a loss that he avenged twice, once by TKO and once by submission) none of Diaz’s defeats have been decisive. And most have come in the UFC, against heavily promoted stars like Sean Sherk (April ’06), Karo Parisyan (August ’04), Diego Sanchez (November ’05), and Joe Riggs (February ’06).

After spending a few hours watching these fights with Nick, I soon come to understand why he spends much of his free time researching conspiracy theories on the internet. With the exception of Sanchez, who scored multiple takedowns throughout their 2005 bout, I find it difficult to comprehend how any of the judges gave Riggs, Sherk, or Parisyan more than one round.

Had Diaz won any of those fights, he would have been firmly in contention for a shot at the welterweight title. Cesar Gracie, who has been training Nick and Nate since they were teenagers, is certain that his prized student isn’t simply the victim of bad luck at the judges’ table. “I know for a fact that there are judges in the UFC who have it out for Nick,” Gracie tells me. “One of the judges told a friend of mine that he’d never vote for Nick Diaz in a close fight because he doesn’t like his attitude.”

I ask Nick about how he’s dealt with the losses. “Bottom line is, if it was a fight to the death, in every one of those [close decisions], I’m the one who would have walked out of that cage,” Nick tells me. “[In each fight] that son of a bitch wouldn’t have made it out, but I would have. I could see it in his eyes, I could hear it in the way that he was breathing, I could tell.”

The Riggs fight provided MMA junkies with yet another classic Nick Diaz anecdote. After the fight, both fighters were sent to the hospital for evaluation, and Diaz began taunting Riggs from his hospital bed. While accounts vary on the outcome of the impromptu fourth round, all agree that hospital security had to be called in to break the two men apart.

When Diaz wins, he tends to do so in spectacular fashion, especially when he’s the underdog. On April 2, 2004, Diaz faced off against Robbie Lawler, a young Pat Miletich stud with knockout power in both hands. In the days leading up to the fight, the general consensus was that Nick’s only option was to take the fight to the ground and work for a submission.

Instead, he decided to outstrike the striker. From the opening bell, Diaz simply outclassed the wild slugger with his superior boxing technique. When Lawler began to back off, Diaz openly taunted him. Midway through the second, Lawler attacked, and Diaz countered with a textbook right hook to the jaw. Lawler fell face first onto the canvas, and the fight was over.

The most impressive performance of Diaz’s career has, not surprisingly, been overshadowed by controversy. On February 4, 2007, Diaz faced off against Japanese phenom Takanori Gomi on the PRIDE 33 card in Las Vegas. Just as he did with Lawler, Diaz chose to stand and trade blows. By the end of the second round, Diaz was picking Gomi apart, and when the bell sounded, the PRIDE superstar was nearly out on his feet. In the third round, a visibly exhausted Gomi took the fight to the ground. Within seconds, Diaz locked a gogoplata, a rarely used submission that had only been pulled off once before in a PRIDE ring. Diaz’s victory celebration didn’t last long. After the fight, his urine sample came back positive for marijuana – lots of it. The usual cutoff for a positive sample is 50, and Diaz weighed in at a whopping 175. The victory was offi cially changed to a no-contest, and Nick was suspended from fighting for six months.

Diaz makes no attempt to conceal his fondness for marijuana and its medicinal benefits. “I think smoking weed is good for you,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’ve always smoked it, especially in the days leading up to fighting. I’ve given them dirty piss for every fucking test, and I never tested positive for anything. I don’t know why, but someone just decided to test for marijuana before the Gomi fight.”

It should be noted that despite his fondness for the kind bud, Nick follows a training routine that would leave most of the sport’s elite gasping for air on the side of the road.

When I ask him what he does for fun besides look up weird shit on the internet, he gives me a one-word answer: triathlons.

Later, I asked Nate what makes his brother tick. “He’s serious about everything,” said Nate. “I guess he’s crazy. With Nick, it ain’t no act. That’s who he is. And he don’t take shit from anybody. Growing up, Nick had friends, but he rolled solo a lot. And he had a lot more fights than I had. People would just fuck with him, and then he’d flip out. He didn’t get along with bullies or football players.”

Nate initially started training in MMA to help Nick prepare for his early fights as a pro, and big brother remains the unquestioned alpha dog of the house. Yet while Nate may not share Nick’s maniacal devotion to training and his aversion to anything resembling small talk, Nate is a dedicated professional who puts long hours in the gym (including triathlon work) and takes care of business in the ring. “Nate’s a friendly guy, and just as loyal to the people who care about him as Nick is, but he’s a little more open of a person,” Gracie tells me. “I really love Nate’s fighting style. He’s no-nonsense, come in, get your business done, and go home kind of guy.” In his last bout, Nate, who currently holds a purple belt in Gracie BJJ, tapped out black belt Junior Assuncao in the first round of a SpikeTV Ultimate Fight Night card.

Later that night, I accompany the Diaz boys to Phillip Torres’ Pacific Coast Martial Arts gym in downtown Stockton for their regular nighttime workout. While Nate rolls with a much bigger man inside the gym’s octagon, Nick, who’s sporting a badly swollen right knee and a face that’s still healing from the Noons fight, spends most of his time on the mat, showing a group of training partners how to set up a submission attempt from the guard. It immediately becomes clear to me that while Diaz may be something of a social misfit outside the gym, he’s a very effective and engaging instructor who genuinely loves showing people what he knows. I couldn’t imagine what Nick and his short fuse would have become had he not discovered Jiu-Jitsu around the same time he was getting kicked out of high school. Thankfully, Nick never got a chance to find out.

The next morning, I stop by the Diaz house on my way out of town. Nick, in a rare moment of self-reflection, tells me about his love for the sport that has occupied nearly every second of his waking life for the past eight years. “I’m not asking to get paid millions of dollars,” Nick tells me. “What’s so wrong about me being able to just fight and not have to hear anybody’s bullshit and not have to deal with a boss? When I was in school, I had teachers telling me, ‘You’re not going to amount to much; you’re not going to get a job.’ And now people want to hear what I have to say. They want to learn Jiu-Jitsu from me.”

At this point, Nick’s standing in the MMA universe is tenuous. He currently has one fight remaining on his EliteXC contract, and it may very well be a rematch with Gomi. If that doesn’t happen, Nick may take another shot at UFC glory, or just continue to float between various promotions in search of big game. Whatever the case, Nick’s confidence – and his fight game – will remain right where it has been for a long time: sky high. I asked Nick if he was put on this earth to be a fi ghter, and his response was unequivocal,

“I was born to make an attempt to be the greatest fighter in the world.” It remains to be seen if Nick ( or Nate for that matter) will ever get a chance to make good on these ambitious goals, but as I leave the blue collar grimness of Stockton I come away with one overriding impression;

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/12948-226/feed/0The Top 7 Strikers in MMA Historyhttp://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13080-237/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13080-237/#commentsThu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000Vince Perez-Mazzolahttp://www.fightmagazine.comNovember 1993, I sat shocked at what I had just witnessed. A 185 pound Jiu-Jitsu fighter named Royce Gracie had just won the first-ever televised mixed martial arts tournament, The Ultimate Fighting Championship. After having practiced years of Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali, and Muay Thai, it seemed that I had wasted the last ten [...]

]]>November 1993, I sat shocked at what I had just witnessed. A 185 pound Jiu-Jitsu fighter named Royce Gracie had just won the first-ever televised mixed martial arts tournament, The Ultimate Fighting Championship. After having practiced years of Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Kali, and Muay Thai, it seemed that I had wasted the last ten years of my life becoming a master of the impact arts – grappling had just won it all!

Admittedly, I had been training on and off with Shoot fi ghting coach Yori Nakamura, and had trained for years in Sifu Larry Hartsell’s (RIP) class with soon-to-be MMA star Eric Paulsen, yet I was stunned. How did a grappler so easily defeat any and all comers from multiple striking arts? Over the next few years, the world would be witness to the rise of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as the dominant martial art.

THE EVOLUTION OF MMA

Fast-forward to today, and you can fi nd a mixed martial arts event pretty much anywhere in the US on any given weekend. MMA has come into its own. Nowadays, it is hard to find any dominant style or method for winning in the cage, as the development of well-rounded fighters has transcended the methods of old. Now, one can watch a match and see any method of victory: KO, TKO, submission, or decision. The rules have changed, and the game has changed.

The evolution of MMA from a style vs. style tournament into a martial system all its own began in the sweaty dojos of Brazil, and found its way onto mainstream TV and into American popular culture. MMA is now the largest combat sport, eclipsing kickboxing, boxing, and wrestling combined. And from a striker’s point of view, it’s a relief. Indeed, it turns out that I did not waste all my years training to punch, kick, elbow, and knee. It has come full circle. The strikers are back, and now the question is, who is the best?

TODAYS STRIKERS

Today’s fighters are setting a new standard, having mastered counter-takedown and

counter-submissions skills that keep many fi ghts standing. Who is the best? Well, that depends. When looking at the history of MMA and deciding upon a best in the striking arena, I decided to look at a few factors: knockout percentage, technical ability, accuracy, speed, application (standing vs. ground and pound), and tools (hands, feet, elbow, knees). Each area has an obvious winner.

Vitor Belfort at his prime was considered the fastest hands in the Octagon. He boasts a

62% T(KO) rate, but that is based more on speed than power or technical ability. Combine this with his use of hands as a primary weapon and he falls below the line.

A former opponent of Vitor, Tank Abbot, wins hands down for power, but technical ability… yikes! My mom has better punching form. As a result, he and many other up and comers who boast up to 100% knockout percentages are out of the running. What is left is a group of strikers who have made a mark on the history of MMA. Here they are:

7. Andrei Arlovski

One of the most exciting fighters of his time, “The Pitbull” unleashed vicious low leg kicks and lighteningfast accurate hands on his opponents. His athletic ability lent itself well to a striker’s game and made him dangerous even while on his back. Despite losing to Tim Sylvia for a second time, his ability to kick ass keeps him on the list.

6. Maurice Smith

A world-class kickboxer, Maurice fought in Japan’s Shooto tournaments to learn the ground well enough to win a UFC title. At UFC 14, he became the first striker to do so. Though his overall MMA record is mostly a wash, his contribution to the striking side of MMA and his own stellar abilities places him fi rmly on the list of all-time greats.

5. Chuck Liddell

With an unorthodox wide base and open stance, “The Iceman” baits his opponents into a straight line attack where their momentum makes them vulnerable to his devastating power shots. His other amazing tool, the sprawl, mandates a standup slugfest for those opponents who plan on taking him down.

MMA with striking experience from his K-1 days, and a rear leg kick that is feared by all. Add to that a formidable arsenal of hand and knee strikes, and you have a world-class striker in any fighting venue.

3. Igor Vovchanchyn

This former kickboxing champ turned MMA fighter has been around, fighting consistently since 1995. With striking subtleties that are part Systema, part Western Boxing, and part Sambo, Igor’s ability to strike at odd angles with amazing power places him firmly on the list.

2. Bas Rutten

At a mere 205 pounds, Rutten took on all comers in a weight class that boasted 250 pound behemoths. His ability to seamlessly combine leg kicks and a distinct lead jab with pinpoint accurate rear straights, make him one of the most dangerous fighters of all time.

1. Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva’s fi ghts are a thing of beauty: grace, power, speed, amazing accuracy, and technical ability as both a striker and on the ground. His absolute decimation of Rich

Franklin not once, but twice, is a testament to his abilities. A Muay Thai and BJJ trained fighter, “The Spider” has effectively adapted the Thai clinch to MMA better than any before him. His ability to keep opponents off balance while simultaneously striking nullifies most counters. Is it unbeatable? Hell no, but so far, no one who has entered the ring with him has figured it out. Until then, I just keep on watching and smiling.

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13080-237/feed/0Brock Lesnerhttp://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13068-236/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13068-236/#commentsThu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000Neil Davidsonhttp://www.fightmagazine.comThe first time Dana White met Brock Lesnar, he was transfixed. “He’s a monster,” the UFC president recalled in an interview with FIGHT! Magazine. “Seriously, the first time I ever met him, this is going to sound fucking weird, but the fi rst time I ever met him we sat down and we started talking, [...]

]]>The first time Dana White met Brock Lesnar, he was transfixed. “He’s a monster,” the UFC president recalled in an interview with FIGHT! Magazine. “Seriously, the first time I ever met him, this is going to sound fucking weird, but the fi rst time I ever met him we sat down and we started talking, and all I kept staring at were his fucking ankles. This guy’s got the biggest ankles I’ve ever seen in my life. I mean he had these boots on, but his ankles were bigger than my arms. It’s crazy. He’s a big guy.”

Just how big in the UFC may depend on Frank Mir, the former heavyweight champion picked to be Lesnar’s first opponent in the Octagon.

The Lesnar-Mir showdown February 2 at UFC 81: Breaking Point in Las Vegas is the kind of fight that both pulls in and polarizes fans. At the best of times, mixed martial arts is hard to predict. Throw in a wild card like Lesnar, a former NCAA wrestling and WWE champion, and speculation skyrockets on what may happen when the cage door closes.

“There’s a huge question mark put on my back,” Lesnar acknowledges. “I think this next fight will prove exactly where I’m going to go in this sport. My first fight, I won in a minute and nine seconds and the guy was, you know, not the best of the opponents. Now we’re up against a guy such as Frank Mir, to really test Brock Lesnar and see what he’s got. “I’ve had a good reaction from people and they’re very excited to see what I can do.”

Even White wonders what will unfold. “It’s a mystery for me too. I’m excited to see. If Brock Lesnar backs up everything that he tells me, this guy might be the biggest superstar in mixed martial arts.”

One thing is clear. The 6’3”, 275-pound Lesnar is a load. “He’s a phenom,” said J Robinson, Lesnar’s wrestling coach at the University of Minnesota. “He’s just huge.”

By all accounts, Lesnar also is a quick study who relishes a challenge. Described as driven by people who know him, the 30-year-old is an MMA sponge, soaking up everything he can learn from coach Greg Nelson and his sparring partners at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy on the outskirts of Minneapolis.

Unlike his short foray into pro football with the Minnesota Vikings, Lesnar is in his comfort zone at the gym. And unlike his nomadic time in pro wrestling, he is back home with friends and family. That means prized time with wife Rena – formerly known as the WWE’s Sable – and their young daughter. “It’s almost like I’m getting a second chance in my life,” Lesnar says contentedly.

There seems no downside to bringing Lesnar into the MMA fold. At the very least, the curiosity factor should help spike interest in UFC 81. And should Lesnar excel, White has another marketable heavyweight to add to Tim Sylvia, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Cheick Kongo in a division that was thrown into limbo by Randy Couture’s exit.

Lesnar’s amateur wrestling credentials and the choice of a reputable opponent in the 28-year-old Mir also help remove any suggestion that his signing is a mere gimmick. Mir, for one, is looking at Lesnar as a dangerous foe. There’s nothing wrong with his eyesight, after all. And Mir knows that while Lesnar is a newcomer to the UFC, he has competed on big stages before. But Mir (10-3) still reckons he will enter the cage more relaxed.

“I’ve been in there more times,” said Mir, who is 8-3 in the UFC, in a career that dates back to UFC 34 in November 2001. “No matter what, you can practice something a thousand times, it’s the real thing that’s going to test you.

“Jiu-Jitsu guys will tell you the same thing,” he added. “They roll countless times with countless people inside a gym. But all of a sudden, they go to that first tournament, and they sign up and the guy they look at wants to break their arm or choke them out. It’s the same moves they’ve seen in practice, the same everything. But now instead of being able to roll for an hour straight, you’re rolling for three minutes and you feel your lungs constricting, your arm’s numb, the saliva leaves your mouth. So that’s the one factor he’s going to have to deal with. He’s had one MMA match against a so-so opponent, whereas I’ve been in there against some pretty dangerous individuals.”

White agrees that Mir won’t be fazed by the muscle-bound newcomer. “There’s a lot of intimidating guys in the UFC, and I don’t think that Frank Mir sees Brock Lesnar as one of them,” White said. “Frank Mir’s been in there with the baddest dudes in the world, you know.” White added. “He broke Tim Sylvia’s arm in half.”

But those in the Lesnar camp say the man known in pro wrestling circles as “The Next Big Thing” is up to the challenge and will turn heads in mixed martial arts. “I believe so,” said Marty Morgan, an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Minnesota, who serves as Lesnar’s conditioning coach. “Because I believe there are a lot of people in the mixed martial arts world that are almost hoping that he can’t adapt to the ground game, and I think they’ll be surprised by how quickly he’s learned and how much of a wide variety of fight game he has. And then I also think that I don’t know if people realize the intensity he brings into a competition.”

Nick “The Goat” Thompson has the bruises to prove it. The Bodog welterweight champion, who fights at 170 but walks around at 200, has trained with Lesnar in Minnesota. “I wish I wasn’t getting such an up-close view most of the time. He’s not a whole lot of fun to go with,” Thompson said. “He’s really obviously strong, as strong a heavyweight as you’re to find. But it’s not just his strength that’s really surprised me. It’s how quick he is. Most time you can find strong heavyweights, but they can’t move like little guys. You have the speed of little guys and the strength of a big guy, you put that together, and it’s not a whole lot of fun to go with him.”

First and foremost, Lesnar is blessed with a massive body. He weighed nine pounds nine ounces at birth, and while he started out a skinny kid, a love of food and the gym helped turn him into a behemoth. Today his jacket size is 54 to 56. His waist is 36, although he wears a bigger size because “my thighs tend to rub together.”

“He obviously has a huge upper body, very big legs, but what’s unique about him is it’s just not a big body, but everything’s well-defi ned,” said Nelson. “All his muscles are very well-defined, almost like a bodybuilder. But instead of just a builder, here’s a guy who can functionally use those muscles. He’s about ten percent body fat, so he’s pretty ripped all the time. It’s just hard to describe. He’s just a very broad, thick, fast, coordinated man.”

Nelson remembers one NCAA bout where Lesnar’s opponent shot on his leg, only to see Lesnar cartwheel out of it and take him down. “The guy’s massive and he can cartwheel and do all that stuff, so it’s pretty amazing.”

Lesnar’s amateur wrestling chops are well documented. His time in pro wrestling didn’t hurt either. “He was forced to do a lot of different things that he’d never dreamt of, like back flips off a rope and all the other stuff that he did,” Nelson said. “So now you come down to earth again and he’s able to apply his coordination to the moves that you need to accomplish in mixed martial arts, because now obviously the goals have changed a bit. It’s not just getting a guy on his back and holding him there, it’s getting there through punches, kicks, knees, and all those things. So he’s been really using what he has naturally been given as a really good athlete. And the things that he’s learned over time, we’re just kind of applying and building upon his base that he’s already developed.”

While Nelson works on technique, Morgan looks after conditioning. Next to the Mixed

MartialArtsAcademy is the Athletic Performance Institute, which comes complete with tractor tires, sledgehammers, and ropes. “They actually call it caveman training,” said Morgan, a former NCAA wrestling champion in his own right. “It’s great and it’s made for him.”

Condition was not a factor in Lesnar’s MMA debut, against former Olympic judo silver medalist Min Soo Kim at a K-1 Hero’s event in June. Lesnar took his opponent down within ten seconds, smothered him and then passed guard and mounted him. The overmatched South Korean quickly tapped out. “Once he gets you full mount, he’s awful hard to move,” Morgan notes.

Lesnar, who estimates he has been training in MMA for eighteen months to two years, says his wrestling background has made for a comfortable transition to MMA. “I mean I’d say that’s a good fifty percent of it, learning how to handle and control another person,” Lesnar said. “Then you add striking and then you add submissions and elbows and knees and legs. I’ve got the foundation; all we’re doing is just trying to build a powerhouse.”

Striking is new to Lesnar. As is grappling, although he says he expected wrestling and submission wrestling to be similar. Thompson says striking is probably the weakest part of Lesnar’s game. But he found out firsthand about Lesnar’s raw power when he subbed for a missing sparring partner early on in Lesnar’s training. “I went to throw a jab, and he threw a jab that was faster than mine and I thought ‘Ok, I’m in some trouble here,’” Thompson recalled. “Then he threw a hook and I covered the hook fully and it still sent me halfway across the ring. Now I know I’m in a lot of trouble.”

So Thompson changed tactics, going for a takedown. He was rewarded with what he thought was a knee to the back of the head, a no-no in practice. An irate Thompson got up yelling, only to quiet down when Nelson informed him the offending blow was not a knee, “just a little paw from him.”

“He hits so hard, and he’s so quick when he does it that even though his technique – and I know it’s progressing – is not where I’d like to see it, he hits so hard that it compensates for it,” Thompson said.

Nelson says striking has come naturally to Lesnar. “He looks like he’d be a guy that would be really big and bound up because of his musculature. But the fact is, he’s very loose with his punches and when he sets his mind on pinpointing his punches on the target when he’s sparring, he can really lay it down,” he explained.

“And then obviously his ability in training to learn new combinations and to hit and move, move and hit. All those things are coming really easily. Like I said, I’ve had other guys who have been really muscular and they’re like so bound up, they can hardly move. But he’s very different from that. He’s got loose shoulders, he can really let those punches whip. And now he’s got that weight behind it. So he’s going to be very hard to deal with on his feet as well. And that’s something that’s very big in MMA.”

As for Jiu-Jitsu, Nelson has been working on building Lesnar’s awareness in recognizing that a submission is coming so it can be prevented. Lesnar has been working with and without a gi and has some submissions of his own, Nelson said. “We’re not expecting him to do submissions when he’s out there, but we want to know that he has the ability to not only apply them but to see when they’re coming. That’s one of those things that when you work them and drill them, you see how they’re done, so all of a sudden when you feel something up, here comes an armbar or there’s a triangle or he’s trying to sweep me and get an ankle, whatever the situation might be.”

Nelson has been impressed by Lesnar’s commitment to studying submissions, saying his fighter has been looking to use technique rather than strength to escape dangerous situations in the gym. “Because he knows that if he has someone that’s as big and as well versed in submissions as Frank Mir on his arm, then he just can’t crunch him up into a ball, lift him off, and throw him. It’s not going to happen. He’s got to learn how to escape. He definitely really plays that game smart, he does well at that.”

Mir, a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, will test just how well Lesnar has absorbed that. But he believes whatever the game plan, Lesnar will be all about wrestling. “No matter what, even if he was a phenom at striking, he’s only had about a year or two to figure out Jiu-Jitsu, and a year or two to figure out striking,” Mir said. “He has eighteen years of wrestling. I don’t care how comfortable he feels, everybody reverts back to what they do best, especially when you get a little bit tired, your heart rate elevates, you get hit, you feel endangered, you revert back to what you feel most comfortable with.”

While Lesnar is new to martial arts, Mir grew up with it. His parents took up martial arts together while dating in high school and his father went on to run a karate school. Mir argues Lesnar’s wrestling may not be enough to counter those years of Jiu-Jitsu.

“[In] wrestling, the whole idea is to control someone’s core, get in on their hips, and lock up their body. Just controlling someone on the ground doesn’t necessarily mean anything in MMA. You can wrap your arms around my waist all you want, but then all of a sudden you’re getting your arm broken. You’ve got to learn to let go and stay safe and keep your limbs in. It’s a little bit different; you’ve got to make adjustments. Plus it’s going to be hard for him to make those adjustments because there’s not really that many guys who weigh 260 that are able to apply Jiu-Jitsu moves the way I can. So at the same time where it’s tough to find big strong wrestlers to work with, I think it’s even a smaller group of guys that are built like I am that move the way I do now that apply Jiu-Jitsu moves.”

Nelson can attest that 250-pounders with black belts don’t grow on trees. Erik Paulson, a black belt who fights at middleweight or light heavyweight, has been helping with submissions and Nelson also looked at importing a former Mir camp member – whom he declined to identify – to help out.

In choosing Nelson as a mentor, Lesnar has more than a martial arts expert in his corner. He has an inspiration. Nelson is a two-time cancer survivor who has faced down far more than an opponent in a ring. Mir, meanwhile, brought in former OklahomaState heavyweight Aaron Cudworth and invited former two-time NCAA champion wrestler Tommy Rowlands, now an assistant coach at OhioState, to his camp.

Thompson thinks Lesnar can handle Mir, although he acknowledges that the former champion isn’t an ideal entry point into the UFC. “When I first heard it was Mir, [I thought] that’s not who I’d like to see as his first opponent, because his submissions are so good. But we’ve really been working with Brock on his submissions, he’s been in the camp for almost two years now, and I just don’t see anybody submitting Brock. Mir’s conditioning is always a question, and I think Brock on top of him for two or three minutes is really going to wear on him. So I think the first two or three minutes are going to be competitive, with Brock on top and Mir looking for submissions. I think after that Mir’s going to be in some trouble.”

Lesnar isn’t making predictions. But expect some fireworks. “Absolutely. We’re in there to fight. I’m not in there to sit in the back seat of the bus. I’m going to go out there and just try to dominate, just to try to control Frank, and to not allow him to do any damage to me,” he added. “I don’t know how the fight will finish, I have no idea. We’re working on a lot of things to end this fight rather quickly and hopefully that’s the outcome.”

Lesnar has faced a stiff learning curve. Whether he has had enough time to take it all in will unfold February 2 in SinCity. “I don’t know if he can make up for it against a guy like Frank Mir, but from what I’m hearing, from people in this industry whom I respect, they’re saying he’s really good,” White said. Mir knows a win will vault him back into the top drawer of heavyweights. He has already beaten the odds by resuming his fi ghting career after a horrific motorcycle crash in September 2004. Mir’s comeback has been up and down, but he impressed in a 77-second submission of Antoni Hardonk at UFC 74 in August.

Mir admits he made his comeback from the crash too soon, at UFC 57 in February 2006, when he lost by TKO to Marcio Cruz. He has since beaten Dan Christison and Hardonk, losing to Brandon “The Truth” Vera. At 6’3” and 255 pounds, Mir is a big man himself (jacket size 52 and waist 38, but only because he likes his pants baggy). But when not on his game, he appears boxy and immobile, something he blames on the aftermath of the crash.

“Before when I was rolling around, every time something hurt, I just avoided that area. Then it was evident in my fights. It wasn’t like you can not do it in training and all of a sudden fight day now I’m expected to perform at a certain level. That’s not how the human body works. Now it [the pain] is completely gone.” Against Hardonk, Mir says he felt “athletic” again.

“In the past I kind of lacked that ability to come in and close the distance safely between anybody. And then once we got to the ground, I actually felt my dexterity back in my legs and stuff, to be able to move around and get my leg over his head for the finishes and stuff.”

Vera took advantage of Mir’s inability to close, punishing him with knees and punches. Others have taken advantage of Mir’s tendency to gas. Cruz, an accomplished Brazilian grappler, spoiled Mir’s comeback fight at UFC 57 in February 2006 when he took him down, controlled him, and pounded his face into a bloody pulp.

Lesnar has the brute force and wrestling skills to take Mir down. He has the size and technique to control him and the raw power to hurt. But if he leaves a limb dangling, Mir will make him pay.

In picking Mir for an opponent, White has chosen an articulate, personable ex-champion who sees this bout at a massive opportunity for both himself and the sport. “He’s so pumped up for this fight,” White said. “Like I said, Brock Lesnar isn’t a guy who’s coming in yet and instilling fear. He’s not like a Wanderlei coming over or a Shogun, a guy who’s got some serious credentials behind him, kicking people’s asses, you know. This guy came off the WWE; they look at him as an acrobat, an entertainer, or a wrestler. Frank Mir’s not afraid of that.

”Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic may have got a gimme in his UFC debut against Eddie Sanchez, but others entered the organization the hard way. Rua faced Forrest Griffin, and got beaten. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira got Heath Herring and had to rally from a knockdown.

Lesnar has no complaints with the choice of opponent. “That’s what I need to make a statement in this sport,” Lesnar said. “When I beat Frank Mir, then there’ll be some credibility along with my name in this sport.”

A look at how Brock Lesnar might fare against some other top heavyweights:

FEDOR EMELIANENKO

Despite recent inactivity (one fight in 2007) and a physique that screams, “bring me another pepperoni slice and crack open a cold one” compared to the chiseled Lesnar, Emelianenko has too many weapons for an MMA novice. He hits like a jackhammer and has the submissions to make his opponents pay for their mistakes. Advantage: Emelianenko.

RANDY COUTURE

Both Couture and Lesnar are accomplished wrestlers, but Couture’s arsenal is full to the brim after years of competing at the highest level. Plus, no one is smarter at preparing a game plan than “The Natural”. Just ask Tim Sylvia. But given Couture’s current status (in limbo) and his age (44), don’t expect to see this fight. Should he return, Couture would fight only at the top of the MMA food chain. Advantage: Couture.

ANDREI ARLOVSKI

The “Pit Bull” has been missing in action as of late, but UFC president Dana White says he will be back. And a fight with Lesnar would offer some zest to Arlovski’s return. It might not make for the most entertaining bout, with Arlovski flicking punches to keep the big man at bay, but if Lesnar could get through Arlovski’s defenses, it could turn into a nasty tussle on the ground. Still, Arlovski has the name to make this an interesting bout. Advantage: Arlovski.

MIRKO “CRO COP” FILIPOVIC

Cro Cop has been a bust in the UFC, but a Lesnar matchup might make sense if the Croatian elects to keep fighting. Cro Cop would want to keep the fight standing while Lesnar would look to get his opponent down to the ground where he could control him. A win over Cro Cop, which Cheick Kongo made look easy, would be a nice scalp for Lesnar. And such a bout might allow the UFC to squeeze a little more mileage out of Cro Cop while looking to advance Lesnar. Advantage: Lesnar

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13068-236/feed/0The Lawman’s Next Fighthttp://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13104-239/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13104-239/#commentsWed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000Eddie Goldmanhttp://www.fightmagazine.comWhen John McCarthy entered the police academy of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in his early twenties, some two decades ago, he already was curious about a hot topic in martial arts circles: which fighting style was best? “I came from a background of wrestling and boxing,” he said in December in a [...]

]]>When John McCarthy entered the police academy of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in his early twenties, some two decades ago, he already was curious about a hot topic in martial arts circles: which fighting style was best?

“I came from a background of wrestling and boxing,” he said in December in a telephone interview. “I believe in those two things. I went to the PoliceAcademy doing those two things, and then met people who were martial artists.” One of those people was a judo player. When they grappled wearing gis, the 6’4” McCarthy recalled, “I was getting tossed on my head.” That only further inspired him to expand his knowledge.

“He was the one that told me about this family,” he said. “All he said was, ‘Hey there’s this family. There are these brothers from South America, and they love to fight on the ground, and you would love it.’”

Those brothers were from Brazil, and their name was Gracie. John began training under Rorion Gracie, and became hooked on the grappling style known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. But Rorion Gracie had bigger plans, and those were to get the whole world into Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Rorion partnered with Art Davie and Bob Meyrowitz to produce an event to feature style vs. style fights with almost no rules. That event was called the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

“The thing that got my attention and made me like what they did and who they were was the fact that they would step up and, you know what, if someone wanted to fight, they would fight,” said John. “Many other martial artists were saying things like, ‘Oh, I would hit you but I don’t want to do it, this would kill you.’”

This real fighting was “what made the UFC successful,” according to John. But although the early UFCs were advertised with the slogan “There Are No Rules,” the truth was, “even though there were very few, there were always rules.” This was mere publicity. Said John, “I never agreed with it, but that was their show.”

“Rorion was there to promote his brother and his style of martial arts,” said John. “Rorion was doing it to further Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.” To Rorion, UFC was basically “an infomercial for them.”

Rorion’s brother Royce would win three of the first four UFC tournaments. At that time, “No one understood how to fight him.” While the efforts of the Gracies began to revolutionize martial arts and combat sports, another development, this one unplanned, was occurring. A new sport was being born, and it was running into some serious problems.

At what became known as UFC 1, the first bout was between standup fighter Gerard Gordeau and rotund sumo wrestler Telia Tuli. “Telia came in on Gerard, and he sidestepped and Telia went down,” John remembered. “Gerard took a nice kick and placed it in the middle of Telia’s face, and the tooth went fl ying out, and Gerard hit him with a right hand. Then the referee stopped the fi ght.” It was over in less than thirty seconds. “I don’t blame him now, but at that time he wasn’t supposed to do that,” John said of the referee. “That’s what basically gave me my start.”

Because of the unanticipated danger in this event, Rorion asked him to be the referee for UFC 2. “Rorion didn’t really care about those other guys.” said John. “That was a problem, because a lot of them didn’t know what they were doing.”

Some of those fighters, who were the unwitting bait for the shark that was Royce Gracie, would tell their corners, “You stop this fight and I’ll kill you.” With their corners “too stupid to throw in the towel,” John recalled, “Someone was going to get seriously hurt.”

He stressed to the UFC organizers, “These other people aren’t smart enough to even understand this kind of fighting right now. And they are going to get their own guy hurt.” He advised, “We’ve got a problem. The referee has got to be able to say this guy can’t go on any more.” They listened, and John Mc- Carthy thus began a career as a referee for this new sport.

After the Roger Huerta-Clay Guida fight, held December 8 of this year on a UFC show in Las Vegas, he retired as a referee. He also retired from the LAPD in September 2007, and now serves as an analyst, broadcaster, and strategic planner for The Fight Network, a Canadian-based television network.

In those thirteen years, “Big” John McCarthy not only established himself as the most

respected, preeminent, and best referee in MMA, he also has been a tireless advocate of fighter safety. He saw the UFC succumb to political pressure around the time of UFC 8 in February 1996, when he was told not to let anyone get hurt – if there was blood, he had to stop the fight. He observed the gradual evolution of the rules, watched gloves and weight classes become mandatory, and was there as the list of fouls and prohibited tactics grew from show to show.

By 2000, the current unified rules were nearly formalized. “Truthfully, the rules the UFC follows now, the unified rules, are basically the rules the UFC was using before Zuffa bought the UFC,” he said.

In that time, Big John has seen the athletes evolve. For example, many top wrestlers in the early UFCs stuck to modified wrestling with striking. They “never truly tried to learn much else,” he said. There were a few exceptions in the early UFCs, such as Frank Shamrock and Pat Miletich. Both, according to John, had wrestling, striking, and submission skills.

Today’s fighters, like Roger Huerta and Clay Guida, both of whom have wrestling backgrounds, are “complete mixed martial artists,” said John. “They may not be unbelievable at the striking game, but they’re very proficient at it.”

In John’s thirteen years as a referee, he has witnessed some historic and memorable fights. “Royce Gracie against Dan Severn (UFC 4, December 16, 1994) was a turning point in the sport,” he said. When people watched Royce submit the former All-American wrestler Severn, they thought, “Wow, even a wrestler can’t go with him.”

When kickboxing champion Maurice Smith defeated Olympic wrestler Mark Coleman at UFC 14 on July 27, 1997, “that was the next step. [Maurice] protected himself on the ground, [and was able to] do damage on the feet.” Done was the original thinking that “grappling beats striking every time.”

Frank Shamrock’s fourth-round defeat of Tito Ortiz by submission from strikes at UFC 22 on September 24, 1999, represented the next changing of the sport. “That was when it showed the complete mixed martial artist.” Frank had the striking and submissions, Tito the wrestling, but in the end, it was Frank’s element of conditioning which prevailed.

For John, Tito Ortiz’s win against Ken Shamrock at UFC 40 on November 22, 2002, also started a change in the sport because of the number of people that came to that event, and its success on pay per view. “It may not have been the greatest fi ght in the world or the most competitive fight,” he said, but those factors and the electric atmosphere at the event made up for that.

Also on the list are the Chuck Liddell/Randy Couture trilogy (UFC 43, 52, and 57), and the Tyson Griffin/Clay Guida fight at UFC 72 on June 16, 2007. “I thought that fight had everything,” said John. Because of the conditioning, takedowns, stand-up, and submission attempts, “I love that fight.”

Now that McCarthy has retired as a referee, he will still witness the fights he loves and be a prominent part of the MMA world. He believes “this is the time to take another step, go in a different direction, and do something different.” Besides running Big John McCarthy’s UltimateTrainingAcademy in Valencia, California (http://bjmuta.com/), he wants to help The Fight Network grow, and is encouraging them to add coverage of amateur wrestling and submission grappling. He also has some major goals for MMA.

Some involve improving the ten-point system and the training of judges. “There are people judging mixed martial arts fights that have no idea what they are looking at,” he stated. Other goals are more sweeping. “There are so many fighters out there that are world-class fighters, and they should be ranked, and they should be allowed to fight [in co-promotions],” he said. To do that, a truly independent sanctioning body and rankings are essential.

Right now, there are “too many champions,” all with separate promotional companies.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “It degrades the sport.”

With the resistance, especially by UFC, to working together, John realizes that this is not going to happen “overnight or the next year.” But, “co-promotions work [because the fans] really don’t care what promotion is putting on the fight.” He added, “I care about seeing the fights. I don’t pay to watch a promotion. I pay to watch fighters.”

Also on his ambitious list is the formation of a fighters’ union, which he admits would be “very difficult to set up.” This, of course, would require some fighter “that’s going to have to take that first step.”

These may be longshot propositions, but then again, who have thought that a bunch of skinny Brazilians in gis would revolutionize martial arts and combat sports in a matter of years? And who would have predicted that a boxer and wrestler on the LAPD would become one of the most renowned people in this new sport? One can expect that Big

John McCarthy will be as successful in his next round of fights as he was in the first wave of revolution in the combat sports that yielded mixed martial arts.

Eddie Goldman’s No Holds Barred blog is at nhbnews.blogspot.com. His No Holds Barred podcast is at nhbnews.podomatic.com. He can be reached at nhbnews@gmail.com.

]]>http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13104-239/feed/0New Bloodhttp://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13092-238/
http://www.fightmagazine.com/mma-magazine/13092-238/#commentsWed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000Ricardo Mendozahttp://www.fightmagazine.comIn the exploding world of MMA, it’s sometimes hard for fans to notice some of the amazing fighters on the verge of making it to the next level. We’ve enlisted the experts at MMAWeekly.com to take you deep inside the sport, and present you with some of the newest names to watch. Name: Eduardo [...]

]]>In the exploding world of MMA, it’s sometimes hard for fans to notice some of the amazing fighters on the verge of making it to the next level. We’ve enlisted the experts at MMAWeekly.com to take you deep inside the sport, and present you with some of the newest names to watch.

Name: Eduardo DantasNickname: Dudu

Professional Record: 3-1

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 135lbs

Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Notable Wins: Shinichi Kojima

Eduardo Dantas has the potential to be a star.

The Nova Uniao fighter is coming off the biggest win of his short career, a unanimous victory over Shooto champion Shinichi “BJ” Kojima. Prior to facing Dantas, Kojima had not lost a fight in four years. Not bad for an 18-year-old kid who’s still in high school.

“I was really happy with the decision,” said the young Brazilian. “However, it was my goal to finish Kojima. I was expecting the judges’ decision to be in my favor because I dominated the fight from the start, both standing and on the ground.”

Fighters from Team Nova Uniao are known for their ground prowess, and Eduardo Dantas is no exception. The young fighter earned his blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the tutelage of Master Andre Pederneiras. He has won Copa do Brazil and Rio de Janeiro state tournaments in sport Jiu-Jitsu. But while Dantas and his team have a reputation for superior grappling, Eduardo has also shown a proclivity to exchange with opponents, and is not afraid to be aggressive.

“I’d describe myself as a very disciplined and responsible guy who likes training a lot. In the future, I’d like to make a living doing what I like, which is fighting. My style is versatile. I like both fighting on my feet and on the ground,” explained Eduardo.

“Wherever the fight ends up is fine by me. People used to say Nova Uniao guys only like to fight on the ground. Now it’s the other way around. The guys here like to trade blows, and I like it too.”

One of the most appealing aspects of Dantas’s game is his lack of fear. He uses his reach and height to his advantage, and favors throwing kicks and fl ying knees. Behind the young face is a fighter who loves the sport and respects his teammates and elders.

“I model myself after Vitor ‘Shaolin’ Ribeiro. He’s a very disciplined guy, who, even when there’s no one to train with, trains by himself. He’s always on time and I think he’s one of the best lightweights there is. I also look up to Marcos ‘Louro’ Galvao. He’s a very punctual guy and is also very disciplined.”

Having only fought in Brazil and Japan, the Rio de Janeiro resident hopes that he will make his US debut soon. “I’d love to fight in the United States because it’s the place with the biggest events, and I’d also like to see the country.”

Organizations such as the WEC, Shooto, and K-1 Hero’s continue to showcase many of the lighter weight fighters today. With every win, Eduardo Dantas proves why he is one of the most promising prospects in the world.

“For now I just want to fight. I’m in the last year of high school now, which I will finish and then go on to do physical education and physiotherapy in college. My goal is to beat everybody at this weight and then move up in weight after that.”

Name: Manny Tapia

Nickname: The Mangler

Professional Record: 9-0-1

Height: 5’5”

Weight: 135lbs

Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai

Notable Wins: Brandon Foxworth, Shad Smith

Manny Tapia is a man on a mission.

The former King of the Cage 135-pound division champion recently signed with World Extreme Cagefighting, and was victorious in his debut. Undefeated after ten fights, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt under Javier Vasquez still has much to achieve in the growing sport of MMA.

“I was actually getting ready to retire; there was no money in it. I was done. I did not want to fight anymore,” revealed Tapia. “But then the WEC called and I went for it.”

Tapia represents Millennia Jiu-Jitsu, a team to which the Chino, California resident attributes much of his success. “My camp, they’re my role models: Betiss Mansuri, Javier Vasquez, Romie Aram, I look up to all of them. They’re there for me whenever I need them. I look up to my trainers.”

Tapia made his WEC debut in May 2007 against Brandon Foxworth. “The Mangler” battered his opponent over two rounds, ending Foxworth’s fourteen fight winning streak. Manny has shown to have heavy hands and favors the ground and pound.

“As a fighter…I just go with it. I really don’t go in with a game plan; I just go by whatever my opponent gives me. As soon as I see an opening, I’m going to take it. I can be aggressive or I can be mellow, it just depends on how the fight’s going.”

For some fighters, maintaining an undefeated record can add unnecessary pressure.

“There’s a little pressure,” commented Tapia, regarding his record. “I train hard. I know a fight can end quickly with just one punch. I’m relaxed when I go into fight, I’m not nervous. As long as I know I gave it my all, I’ve got nothing to lose. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

Tapia was scheduled to challenge WEC 135-pound champion Chase Beebe for the title back in September, but a knee injury derailed his title shot. Now fully recovered, the Millennia fighter has been training hard for his return to the cage and looks forward to getting another shot at the belt sometime in the near future.

“I’m really starting to pick things up. I’m not the most technical guy in the world, but once I’m in there I’m going to give it my all. I’m going to fight with my heart and give it my best. I’ll lay it all on the line.

Name: Shayna Basler

Nickname: Queen of Spades

Professional Record: 8-4

Height: 5’7”

Weight: 135lbs

Discipline: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai

Notable Wins: Julie Kedzie, Roxanne Modafferi

She’s tough. She’s talented. She can be a little outspoken.

Shayna Baszler takes her fighting career seriously and wants to show the world that she’s one of the best female mixed martial artists today.

“I had a normal childhood; no abusive relatives or bad experiences. I was a good kid that got good grades. Never did any martial arts or anything combative, but played many sports,” said Baszler. “I decided to try fighting at a local show and started training after getting my butt handed to me. Caught the MMA sickness and the rest is being written.”

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota resident made her EliteXC debut in July, successfully defeating Jan Finney with an armbar. In her second appearance, it took just 44 seconds for Baszler to submit previously undefeated Jennifer Tate.

Under the tutelage of former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder

Josh Barnett, Shayna trains hard to improve every aspect of her game.

“I train every day with guys that are bigger than me. When I train, everyone’s bigger, everyone’s heavier, and everyone’s stronger,” she said. “I’ve been doing Jiu-Jitsu for a long time and it’s something I really concentrate on, something I love to do. I’m a hard worker and very calculated.”

Not one to back down from a fight, the “Queen of Spades” has faced some of the toughest names in the business, including Amanda Buckner, Kelly Kobald, Roxanne

Modafferi, and Tara Larosa.

Shayna Baszler and Gina Carano represent the top of EliteXC’s women’s division. Carano has become one of the most recognizable faces in women’s MMA today.

“It is very much Gina’s division at this moment, and that’s not a good or bad thing,” commented the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt. “I would love to fight Gina. EliteXC has not spoken to me about a fight with Gina. I’d fi ght her tomorrow if they offered it to me.

With that said, I’m going to fight whoever they put in front of me.”

A showdown with Carano seems imminent. For Shayna, a victory over her would garner instant name recognition and help establish her as one of the best in the world. “I don’t want to be known for any one great thing. I want to define an era. I want ‘Shayna Baszler’ to define a period of time.”